Ellen White's Letter to Eli Curtis

On April 21, 1847, Ellen White penned a letter to Eli Curtis, of New York City, in which she referred to light given to her on a number of points. She wrote:1BIO 124.1

Dear Brother,

In the Day-Dawn, volume 1, Nos. 10 and 11, you kindly invite me to address you a communication.1BIO 124.2

My only apology I have to offer for not writing before is I have not had a clear duty to write till now. You will, I doubt not, excuse me for addressing you so publicly, at this time. I have been much interested in your writings in the Dawn, and Extra, and fully agree with you on some points, but on others we widely differ.—A Word to the Little Flock, 11.1BIO 124.3

Then Ellen enters into a discussion of a number of points, some of them theological, based on the spectrum of visions given to her during the past two years. Note the careful, positive way she comes before the public as she writes of these matters:1BIO 124.4

Your Extra is now on the stand before me; and I beg leave to state to you, and the scattered flock of God, what I have seen in vision relative to these things on which you have written.1BIO 124.5

I fully agree with you, that there will be two literal resurrections, one thousand years apart. I also agree with you that the new earth will not appear till after the wicked dead are raised, and destroyed, at the end of the thousand years.1BIO 124.6

I saw that Satan was “loosed out of his prison” at the end of the thousand years, just at the time the wicked dead were raised; and that Satan deceived them by making them believe that they could take the Holy City from the saints. The wicked all marched up around the “camp of the saints,” with Satan at their head; and when they were ready to make an effort to take the city, the Almighty breathed from His high throne, on the city, a breath of devouring fire, which came down on them, and burnt them up, “root and branch.”1BIO 124.7

And I saw that as Christ is the vine, and His children the branches, so Satan is the “root” and his children are the “branches“: and at the final destruction of “Gog and Magog,” the whole wicked host will be burnt up, “root and branch,” and cease to exist. Then will appear the new heaven and the new earth. Then will the saints “build houses,” and “plant vineyards.”1BIO 125.1

I saw that all the righteous dead were raised by the voice of the Son of God, at the first resurrection; and all that were raised at the second resurrection were burnt up, and ceased to exist.—Ibid., 11, 121BIO 125.2

After laying this affirmative foundation, revealing a clear-cut concept of the order and nature of some future events—a part of the great controversy story—she takes up points with which she differed, on the basis of the visions, from Eli Curtis:1BIO 125.3

You think that those who worship before the saints’ feet (Revelation 3:9) will at last be saved. Here I must differ with you; for God showed me that this class were professed Adventists, who had fallen away, and “crucified to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.” And in the “hour of temptation,” which is yet to come, to show out everyone's true character, they will know that they are forever lost, and overwhelmed with anguish of spirit, they will bow at the saints’ feet.1BIO 125.4

You also think that Michael stood up, and the time of trouble commenced, in the spring of 1844.1BIO 125.5

The Lord has shown me in vision that Jesus rose up, and shut the door, and entered the holy of holies, at the seventh month, 1844; but Michael's standing up (Daniel 12:1) to deliver His people is in the future. This will not take place until Jesus has finished His priestly office in the heavenly sanctuary, and lays off His priestly attire, and puts on His most kingly robes, and crown, to ride forth on a cloudy chariot, to “thresh the heathen in anger,” and deliver His people.—A Word to the Little Flock, 12.1BIO 125.6

The grasp that 19-year-old Ellen White had, at this early time, of future events and their sequence is significant. She continued her presentation of the events to transpire as Jesus closes up His ministry in the heavenly sanctuary:1BIO 126.1

Then Jesus will have His sharp sickle in His hand (Revelation 14:14), and then the saints will cry day and night to Jesus on the cloud to thrust in His sharp sickle and reap.1BIO 126.2

This will be the time of Jacob's trouble (Jeremiah 30:5-8), out of which the saints will be delivered by the voice of God....1BIO 126.3

The Lord showed me in vision, more than one year ago, that Brother Crosier had the true light on the cleansing of the sanctuary, et cetera, and that it was His will that Brother C. should write out the view which he gave us in The Day-Star Extra, February 7, 1846. I feel fully authorized by the Lord to recommend that Extra to every saint.—Ibid.1BIO 126.4

She closed this presentation with the words: “I pray that these lines may prove a blessing to you, and all the dear children who may read them. E. G. White.”1BIO 126.5

The message, presented so simply, quoting Scripture often, and putting many future events in an understandable sequence, was a great blessing to the “little flock” who were weighing various concepts that were being projected here and there. God was gently but firmly guiding His somewhat bewildered people.1BIO 126.6